BobFinn*
03-28-2003, 07:12 PM
Stones cancel China concerts
Worried about SARS,
band plans to reschedule
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK, March 28 — The Rolling Stones have canceled their much-anticipated first concerts in China because of the deadly disease that’s sweeping across Asia. The band had been scheduled to perform Tuesday in Shanghai and April 4 in Beijing, but changed their minds because of travel warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization about severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
THE FLU-LIKE ILLNESS has infected more than 1,400 people worldwide, killing 54, mostly in Asia.
“We are very sad and disappointed not to be able to do these concerts,” lead singer Mick Jagger said Friday. “We have been looking forward to the shows in China for so long and will reschedule them as soon as possible.”
These are just the latest shows the veteran rockers have canceled in their “40 Licks” tour because of the disease.
They performed in Singapore earlier this week, but scrapped two weekend concerts in Hong Kong.
Front-row tickets for the Beijing show were going for $750 each, about the same as the average Chinese person’s annual income.
But fans wouldn’t have been able to hear some of the Stones’ biggest hits, including “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Honky Tonk Woman.” The Chinese government banned those songs because of their sexual lyrics.
The Rolling Stones are now scheduled to play April 4 in Bangalore, India; April 7 in Mumbai, India; and April 10 in Bangkok, Thailand.
‘We have been looking forward to the shows in China for so long and will reschedule them as soon as possible.’
— MICK JAGGER
Worried about SARS,
band plans to reschedule
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK, March 28 — The Rolling Stones have canceled their much-anticipated first concerts in China because of the deadly disease that’s sweeping across Asia. The band had been scheduled to perform Tuesday in Shanghai and April 4 in Beijing, but changed their minds because of travel warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization about severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
THE FLU-LIKE ILLNESS has infected more than 1,400 people worldwide, killing 54, mostly in Asia.
“We are very sad and disappointed not to be able to do these concerts,” lead singer Mick Jagger said Friday. “We have been looking forward to the shows in China for so long and will reschedule them as soon as possible.”
These are just the latest shows the veteran rockers have canceled in their “40 Licks” tour because of the disease.
They performed in Singapore earlier this week, but scrapped two weekend concerts in Hong Kong.
Front-row tickets for the Beijing show were going for $750 each, about the same as the average Chinese person’s annual income.
But fans wouldn’t have been able to hear some of the Stones’ biggest hits, including “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Honky Tonk Woman.” The Chinese government banned those songs because of their sexual lyrics.
The Rolling Stones are now scheduled to play April 4 in Bangalore, India; April 7 in Mumbai, India; and April 10 in Bangkok, Thailand.
‘We have been looking forward to the shows in China for so long and will reschedule them as soon as possible.’
— MICK JAGGER